An energetic vibe wraps the tradition at the core of David Keomoungkhoune, one of Amarillo’s newest downtown restaurant owners.

Keomoungkhoune, 24, opened Gooney’s near the end of February in the Marizon Building at 705 S. Polk St.

“My family owned a restaurant, (when I was) growing up, and I just decided that was my thing,” he said. “I enjoy cooking and I enjoy surrounding myself with people.

“I use my cooking to do that.”

His parents continue to run Kitchen Express on Southwest 45th Avenue, just west of Bell Street.

Keomoungkhoune describes his Asian fusion menu as a little bit of everything — from traditional Asian stir-frys to Asian-tinged American dishes.

The ribeye, for example, gets a homemade marinade “like a brew,” Keomoungkhoune said. “And you’ve got to let it sit. The longer it sits, the more flavor comes out.”

On a recent lunch hour, Kevin and I split the difference.

I went traditional, enjoying Chicken Spicy Basil — a lot. Kevin went fusion, opting for the Curry Burger, which he said had subtle flavors of curry. It came with garlic-cilantro sauce on the side that was equally good on the fries.

Keomoungkhoune opted for a downtown site because he likes “the nightlife and the scene down here. ... I thought it might be a really good opportunity for me to start something and be part of the downtown renovation.”

Amarillo hotel developers Dipak and Sangita Patel have completed a hospitality triple-play with the opening of Candlewood Suites Amarillo at Western Crossing shopping center.

The 96-suite Candlewood is part of an ambitious $16-million, three-hotel development project the Patels launched at the shopping center at Western Street and Interstate 40 near the end of 2009.

Family illnesses delayed the completion of the first hotel, a 97-room Staybridge Suites, until April 2012. That hotel sits directly behind arts-and-crafts retailer Michael’s.

The couple later opened the Comfort Suites property east of Burlington Coat Factory.

Suites at Candlewood, next door to the Comfort Suites, offer full kitchens with utensils and free laundry service. The property has an exercise room.

The Patels own Holiday Inn Express Amarillo East Airport, too. But Dipak Patel doesn’t rule out another development project in the future. “This is just like hobby,” he said. “I like to make something new. Something new, always.”

Growth has come to Lyons Realty.

The company has a 4,100-square-foot office under construction on Southwest 34th Avenue at Brennan Boulevard.

The other half of the lot the firm owns could be developed for commercial rental space later, said Chris Lyons, the son in the son-and-mom shop.

His mother, Mary Lou, is his real estate partner. And his father, Paul Lyons, a builder, is handling the project.

Meanwhile, Lyons Realty also has just launched a Lubbock office.

Lee Carter hopes not to leave tech-challenged folks to their own devices, without training, at least.

Carter started Technical Lee, offering in-home training for customers using their own equipment, including computers, iPads, iPhones, Nooks, and Kindles.

“Probably the most popular age group is maybe 50 and older,” Carter said. “A lot of times, grandchildren or children will give someone n iPhone or iPad for a gift, and they don’t know what to do with it.

“In many cases, people don’t really want to be taught by someone close to them. So that’s kind of where I come in.”

Carter has worked in tech support for the Harrington Library Consortium, as technology director for Pampa Independent School District, and has taught software and web-design leisure-studies classes for Amarillo College.

Marble Slab Creamery will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the chain Monday by offering customers their first scoop for 30 cents — and the sweetshop will throw in a free “mix-in” from among its menu of toppings.